o f To m R i c h m o n d d u r i n g the late nineties. A r e g u l a r s l o t d ra w i n g fo r the student magazine ensued, alongside a d e g r e e p o r t fo l i o that was celebrity c a r i c a t u r e b a s e d fo r the most part. Upon completing my degree I was at something of a crossroads, not really knowing what to do; then one day a noticed a n ‘A R T I S T S WA N T E D ’ a d online, posted by a guy c a l l e d N i g e l C o o ke w h o owned a stand at Alton To w e r s R e s o r t . ( N i g e l ’s since become a good friend.) One thing led to a n o t h e r, a n d I s p e n t t h e n e x t fo u r y e a r s s o a k i n g up the summer season and learning the ropes as a caricaturist into the bargain. Is that the only kind of i l l u s t ra t i o n / d ra w i n g you do? In a word, yes. I’ve dabbled in other related fields over the years, at various times exploring c h a ra c t e r d e s i g n , l o g o design, and realistic d ra w i n g . H o w e v e r I ke e p c o m i n g b a c k t o the fact that I am a caricaturist at heart, a n d t h i s i s h o w I ’d l i ke to be remembered when I’ve gone (hopefully m a n y, m a n y y e a r s f r o m now). I love the notion of looking at the world i n a s l i g h t l y s ke w e d , e x a g g e ra t e d w a y, w h i c h I find only in caricature. This is why I intend to s t i c k w i t h i t fo r t h e long haul.
Featuring
THE w o u l d BIGGEST f r e q u e n t l y FREE cMAGAZINE o c k u p a d ra w i nFOR g in sTHE o m e ra n d o m w a y or NORTH EAST a n o t h e r, a n d h a v e t o surreptitiously place ISSUE a t h#7 u m b APRIL o r s u c h l i2013 ke a c r o s s t h e o f fe n d i n g p a r t o f t h e d ra w i n g when presenting the art t o t h e c u s t o m e r. T h i s happened more times than I care to recall! On another occasion, I reduced a lady to t e a r s a f t e r d ra w i n g h e r with, in her own words, a “ m a s s i v e n o s e ”. ( I must admit, it doesn’t fe e l p a r t i c u l a r l y g o o d What has been your to elicit this reaction m o s t m e m o ra b l e from someone; but at moment so far? the same time, I often D ra w i n g A l a n S h e a r e r wonder why she was fo r a c h a r i t y a u c t i o n s i t t i n g fo r a c a r i c a t u r e ra n k s p r e t t y h i g h , b u t in the first place, if she just getting the inside was that sensitive about t ra c k i s w h e n I w o n h e r fe a t u r e s . ) T h e s e m y a w a r d s fo r ‘ B e s t d a y s , I ’m s o e x p e r i e n c e d L i ke n e s s ’ a n d ‘ B e s t in what I do the humour Pa r t y C a r i c a t u r e s ’ a t t h e and funny moments International Society g e n e ra l l y c o m e a b o u t of Caricature Artists’ t h r o u g h w h a t I ’m annual convention in putting down on paper – L a s Ve g a s i n 2 0 0 5 . I t and the reactions of the was my first year in crowd watching. attendance (with my g o o d p a l a n d fe l l o w Te l l u s 3 ra n d o m f a c t s a r t i s t M i ke C a r l o n ) a n d about yourself? it was a blast. Hanging 1.I love listening to out and mingling with C h r i s t m a s m u s i c y e a rmy artistic heroes round. Sad but true! left me tongue-tied at 2.I have a full-on times, and I spent most o b s e s s i o n w i t h N e w Yo r k of the week artistically C i t y : c u l t u r e , h i s t o r y, crippled by being in architecture... smitten the presence of such with the place. caricature royalty; 3 . I w a s o n ‘ T h e Pa u l however I seemed to O ’G ra d y S h o w ’ i n 2 0 0 8 , overcome that, going on presenting a customised to have a fantastic time c a r i c a t u r e p o r t ra i t t o and creating a gallery t h e m a n h i m s e l f. To p of pieces ultimately fe l l a ! deemed worthy by my W h e n y o u ’r e n o t peers. d ra w i n g h o w d o y o u l i ke to spend your time? Have you had any The usual, really: f u n n y / e m b a r ra s s i n g chilling out with my i n c i d e n t s w h i l s t d ra w i n g fiancée and some good someone? T V, r e a d i n g , c i n e m a , To o m a n y t o m e n t i o n ! running, drinking, gym In the early days (not necessarily in that o f A l t o n To w e r s I order). Nothing too anyone famous; I think h u m a n s a s a ra c e a r e a l l so unique and individual t h a t i t ’s a l m o s t irrelevant whether t h e y ’r e i n t h e p u b l i c eye or not. Having said that, I would have loved t o h a v e h a d a c ra c k at Steve Irwin when he was still around; I fo u n d – a n d s t i l l f i n d – h i s e n t h u s i a s m fo r l i fe u t t e r l y i n fe c t i o u s . C o m e t o t h i n k o f i t , I ’d l o v e to spend ten minutes in the presence of the Dalai Lama too.
Y E S M A R S I R H C N A COMEDI
I f y o u c o u l d d ra w anyone famous past or present who would it be and why? I don’t really have a m a s s i v e u r g e t o d ra w
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IRON MAN 3 Preview Screen-con 13 Variety with Joe McElderry And More